Page 111 of Sweeter Than Fiction

Does the thought of that make me swell with pride and excitement? Absolutely. I’d love to have a baby with her.

But is it a deal breaker if she can’t have kids?

Hell fucking no.

I’m in love with her. None of her health issues alter that fact.

I have no idea how long we lay here for before she finally speaks. She’s so quiet that if I wasn’t listening, I wouldn’t even catch it.

“I’m sorry, Don.”

“For what?”

“For not telling you when I thought I might be pregnant. And for the outcome of the whole thing. I had no idea that I couldn’t have kids.”

“Hey, turn around,” I tell her.

She slowly rolls over to face me. Her face is all red and blotching from crying, but I don’t care. She’s still beautiful.

Wiping a tear from her cheek, I start to speak. “Listen to me. I want you to feel like you can tell me anything, but I don’t blame you for not telling me this morning. It’s okay. As for the other thing, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“I feel like I’m broken.”

“Nothing about you is broken, beautiful,” I say with a kiss on her forehead.

“I just feel silly.”

“Why?”

“Because I was actually excited about a baby.” She says the last word on a sob and starts crying even harder.

I pull her close and hold her against my chest while rubbing her hair.

“It’s alright, baby. I’ve got you.”

And I’ve never meant anything more.

Chapter Forty-three

Abby

My eyes open to the sun peeking through my bedroom curtains. Did I really sleep straight through the night?

I guess that’s what happens when you get exhausted from devastation.

As much as I thought I wanted to be alone, I’m so happy that Jenson went and got Don. I’m not sure how I would have faired through the night without him.

Speaking of which—I reach over to the other side of the bed and feel for him, but he’s nowhere to be found.

I think it’s Thursday. I guess he went to work.

Much to my surprise, Snowball jumps on the bed and makes his way toward me. I half expect him to scratch me or hiss. He’s not always the happiest of cats. But instead, he curls up into the crook of my arm and starts purring.

“Really?” I ask. “You pick right now to actually start being nice to me?”

I guess he’s taking pity on how pathetic I must look right now. I lay with him for a few minutes, lightly rubbing his back before my bladder demands that I get up.

I quickly go pee and head into the kitchen to make coffee. Maybe caffeine will help me get some clarity about this whole situation.

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